University employee mediation program wins national award

By Vivian Yun, contributing writer
Posted on December 6, 2007

JMU received the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources’ 2007 Successful Practices award in recognition of JMU’s Employee Mediation Program, designed to help JMU employees resolve conflict.

“This is a service that was created because conflict and workplace issues range from coworkers to employees,” said Yohna Cone, director of human resources. “This mediation program is an alternative dispute option to resolve conflict and is a mechanism or opportunity for employees.”

Cone submitted the program to the association’s chapter for the Southern region and it was nominated for the national award.

“I am extremely honored and proud of the department’s accomplishments,” Cone said.

Seventeen members of JMU’s faculty and staff are volunteer mediators. Of these 17, five are certified by the Virginia Supreme Court as certified mediators, nine are in the process of completing the training necessary to become certified by the Virginia Supreme Court and three are in the process of completing 20 hours of training to become a co-mediator.  Mediation sessions are available for both individual and groups.

Human Resource Service Center representative Melinda Hardwick is one of the five certified by the Virginia Supreme Court and she feels honored to be associtated with this program.

“I was assigned to research the feasibility of starting a mediation program,” Hardwick said.  “I pulled together a group of very capable people and we looked at other mediation programs.”

Cone added that many other public universities do not have this type of service available.

“We have had much success,” she said.  “What’s unique is that you don’t typically find this program in other Human Resource Departments at other universities. We saw it as a wonderful way for employees to take ownership in resolving workplace issues,” Cone said. “Folks feel good when they are part of a solution.”

Although the program has no plans to expand, it will continue to provide mediation services.

“Hopefully it will mean that JMU will have a more positive environment for employees at the university,” said Susan Wheeler, policy and legal affairs adviser.